Straight-edge.



10.883,744. PATBNTED APR.7,1908.

Q .'T. RIDGELY.

STRAIGHT EDGE. APPLIUATION Hmm 1111.20. 19o?.

Wil?" @aoco CHARLES T. RIDGELY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

STRAIGHT-EDGE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 7, 1908.

Application filed March 20, 1907. Serial No.l 363,345.

To all 'whom it may oncern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. RIDGELY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State o 0h10, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Straight Edges, of which t e following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to straightedges of the type employed by paperhangers.

The obj ect of the invention is to provide a straight-edge of this character with means for engaging the paper and preventing the straight edge from slipping or creeping thereon; to provide means for'preventing the warping of the body portion of the straight-edge and further, to provide means for securing the guide or track for the trimmer to the straight-edge without the use of screws, thus leaving the face of the same perfectly smooth.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction to be hereinafter described, and then more fully pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a erspective view of a section of a straighte ge embodying my invention; Fig. 2 1s a bottom plan view of the same and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of Fig. l.

In these drawings, I have illustrated my invention as embodied in the ordinary form of aperhangers straight-edge comprising a bod)y ortion 1, provided near one edge thereo' with a groove 2 and having the gui e or track for the trimmer secured to one edge thereof and consisting of a guide plate 3 securedto the front of the straight-edge and having its upper edge bent at right angles to the body portion, as shown at 4, and. extending over a portion of the groove 2. In carrying out my invention I construct the body port1on 1 of light wood, and, in order to prevent the same from twisting or warping, I provide a bottom plate 5 of suitable metal, such as thin steel, of a length and width substantially equal to the length and width of the body portion of the straight-edge and provided on that edge adj acentto the groove 2 with an upwardly extending portion or flange 6 of a height equal substantially to the thickness of the body portion 1. This plate may be secured to the body portion in any suitable manner, as by the screws 7.

In order to secure the guide or track 3 to the front of the straight-edge without the use of screws lor other fastening devices extending through the track into the edge of the body portion l and thereby forming defects or rough places in the surface of the track, I secure the vertical portion 3 of the track to the flange or upwardly extending portion 6 of the plate 5, preferably by means of rivets 9 extending through the two members, and securing them firmly together, the rivets Von the outer face of the member 3 being dressed down so that they com letely fill the a ertures and are liush with t e surface of tie member 3, thus providing a erfectly smooth track surface or guide. `urther, inasmuch as the member 3 of the track extends down to the bottom of the late 5, the corner of the straight-edge w ich is formed by the lower edge of the member 3 is perfectly square.

The strip 5 is preferably provided with a series of apertures 8, of any suitable size, shape and number, but preferably circular in shape and of a diameter equal to about two-thirds of the width of the plate 5, and separated one from the other by a space equal to approximately half their diameter and extending from one end of the strip to the other. These apertures extend entirely through the plate 5 and are closed at their inner ends by the bottom ofthe body portion l, thus forming recesses, which, when the straight-edge is placed upon the paper, form suction cups and grip the paper, thus preventing the straight-edge from slipping or creeping over the surface of the same.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a straight-edge, which, by combining a light strip of wood with a thin plate of metal, is very light of construction and rigid throughout its length, the rigidity of the wood serving to stiHen the metal plate and the metal plate serving to prevent twisting or warping of the wooden body. Further, that I have provided means for securing the guide or track to the front of provided the bottom surface of the straightedge with suction cups adapted to grip the paper and prevent the straight-edge from slipping or creeping over the same.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. l

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is zl. A straight-edge comprising a wooden body portion, and a metallic strengthening plate secured to the bottom'thereof and extending substantially the full length and width of said body portion, said strengthening plate being provided with recesses lying wholly within the edges thereof and adapted to prevent the slipping of said straight-edge. 2. A straight-edge comprising a thin wooden body portion, and a metallic strengthening plate secured to the bottom thereof and extending substantially the full length and width of said body portion, said strengthening plate having apertures formed therein at intervals to provide gripping edges to prevent the slipping of said straight-edge.

3. A straightedge comprising a thin wooden body portion and ametallic strengthening plate secured to the bottom thereof and extending substantially the full length and width of said body portion and having a flange extending along the edge of said body portion.

4. A straight-edge comprising a body portion, a plate secured to the bottom thereof and having a flange extending along the front of said body portion, and a guide or track secured to said fiange.

5. A straight-edge having a series of suction cups carried by the lower surface thereof.

6. A straight-edge having a series of rec'esses formed in the lower surface thereof tending along the front of said body portion,

and a guide secured to said ange.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES T. RIDGELY. Witnesses A. C. LINK, F. W. SCHAEFER.

rms. 

